


still with hearts beating

by mohritz



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, basically im climbing class trash, bisexual josh washington aka yes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 16:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4884130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mohritz/pseuds/mohritz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So. Long story.” Josh says hurriedly as Chris grabs him by the collar and pulls him into his bedroom. </p><p>“Oh, so you already happen to know why I’ve been sent a text by Beth that reads ‘nice job, u finally got some boning action from my brother!’ and one by Hannah that says ‘you guys make a cute couple, happy for you’?” </p><p>Josh laughs. “I love my sisters. But anyway, it’s a long story, like I said.”</p><p>(aka the fake dating au nobody asked for)</p>
            </blockquote>





	still with hearts beating

**Author's Note:**

> hello! god two fics in one day what is this. but basically i got hella sad after writing that last one and i started this last night and thought i'd finish it off to make me happy again. ive descended into climbing class hell and i cant get out save me
> 
> but yeah! enjoy guys. fake dating aus make me really unnecessarily happy aha

“So. Long story.” Josh says hurriedly as Chris grabs him by the collar and pulls him into his bedroom.

“Oh, so you already happen to know why I’ve been sent a text by Beth that reads ‘nice job, u finally got some boning action from my brother!’ and one by Hannah that says ‘you guys make a cute couple, happy for you’?”

Josh laughs. “I love my sisters. But anyway, it’s a long story, like I said.”

“Do I look like I give a shit right now?” Chris raises his eyebrows. “I just want to know why you told your sisters we’re dating.”

“We basically are, bro,” Josh shrugs, smirking. “We did make out that one time.”

“Be serious for a sec.”

“Okay, okay,” Josh mumbles. “Basically, Hannah was annoying me about having a date for Mike and Jess’ wedding, right? And so I may have just told her we were dating to get her to shut up.”

“Oh, fantastic!” Chris says sarcastically. “Now both your sisters, not to mention probably our friends now, think we’re boning.”

 “It’s not that bad, is it?”

Chris sighs, before grinning at Josh. “I guess not. Like you said, we did make out that one time. We can just pretend we’re dating for the wedding, for your sake, and then we’ll fake ‘break up’ or something.”

Josh nods, inspecting his fingernails. “Sounds good.”

“Wait – aren’t you straight?”

“Honorary bisexual, my friend. Playing for both teams. Didn’t you know that?”

“Oh.” Chris blinks. “Nope.”

“I thought you did. This’ll be fun though,” Josh grins. “It’ll be like a prank!”

“God, the things I do for you, Joshie.” Chris shakes his head, before leaning down to turn on Josh’s Xbox. “Come on, let’s play some GTA and forget about it.”

“Sounds like a plan, bro.”

* * *

 

The morning of the wedding arrives, and with it brings Josh struggling with his tie whilst yelling at Chris to hurry up.

“We gotta go, bro!” he yells up the stairs, whilst struggling with his tie in the hallway mirror of their shared apartment. “Jess will fucking kill us if we’re late!”

Chris comes running down the stairs with one shoe on, one shoe off, and sits on the bottom step to put on his other one.

“Okay,” he stands up. “Ready.”

“One sec,” Josh replies, still struggling with his tie. “This fucking thing is driving me insane.”

“Here, I got it.” Chris says, reaching forward to help him. He ties the tie and fixes Josh’s collar before looking up at him. They are suddenly very close, and Chris’ breath hitches in his throat. There seem to be butterflies in his stomach, which is weird, because he doesn’t think he has feelings for Josh at all.

Josh smiles, almost sadly, and pulls away. “Come on, Cochise, we gotta go. Lead the way.”

As he walks out to the car, Chris realises something.

 _Oh fuck,_ he thinks. _I love Josh._

* * *

 

Once they arrive, Matt meets them at the gates to the stately home that the wedding is taking place in.

“Hey, guys. Come on, I’ll take you up.” he says, as Josh locks the car.

“How’s Mike?” Chris asks, smirking.

“Surprisingly calm, actually, but why shouldn’t he be? He loves her,” Matt says simply. “Speaking of love, I hear you losers are together now.”

Chris feels his heart leap into his throat, because now he’s realised he does really fucking love Josh, but he says nothing and lets the man in question do the talking.

“Yup, been together for a few months. Sorry we didn’t tell you, we just wanted to see if it would work out.”

“And is it?” Matt grins.

“Yeah. Unbelievably well.” Josh says, and takes Chris’ hand. Chris tries not to freak out.

They arrive still holding hands, much to Mike’s amusement.

“It’s the lovebirds,” he grins, getting up to hug them both. “Hey, guys. How are you?”

“Pretty good, thanks,” Chris smiles, and Josh nods. “How are you holding up?”

“Yeah, good,” he says simply. “I love her, man. It’s as simple as that. I’m sure you both know.”

“Yeah,” Josh says, looking at Chris. “I do.”

Chris swears he hears Josh’s voice almost shake, but dismisses it as his imagination.

“Anyway,” Matt claps his hands. “We gotta go down in a few minutes, wedding starts in twenty.”

“Oh gosh,” Mike wipes his hands on his knees. “Okay, I’m a little nervous now.”

“Relax, it’s gonna be okay.” Chris grins. “You love her.”

“I do,” Matt smiles. “Okay, let’s go.”

* * *

 

The wedding is beautiful. They get married in the grounds, in the early evening, when the sun is setting. There are flowers everywhere, and all Chris can see is colour and light and laughter and it’s wonderful. He definitely does not cry tears of joy when they exchange their vows (and Josh definitely does cry at the look on Mike’s face when he first sees Jess walk down the aisle).

At the dinner afterwards, they get a chance to catch up with Hannah and Sam, who are also seated at their table for the meal. Once desert has been finished, Sam looks with interest at the two of them.

“So,” Sam says, leaning across the table. “Hannah tells me you’re together.”

“Yup,” Chris says. “Have been for a while.”

“Nice. Good to have another queer couple in the group. How long have you been dating?”

“Two months.”

“Four months.”

Chris and Josh look at each other, and Sam raises an eyebrow. “Well, which is it?”

“Two,” Josh says hurriedly. “I’ve just had a crush on him for four, it’s why I got confused.”

Sam still looks unconvinced, but is distracted by Hannah’s gushing.

“That’s adorable. I was rooting for you, honestly, you guys are so cute! Not as cute as Sam and I, of course, nobody is, but still.”

“Calm down, Han,” Josh grins. “But we are pretty cute, yes. Did I tell you about my final project? I made a really cool horror film…”

As Chris watches Josh talk to his sister animatedly about film, watches his eyes light up, he realises he has to put a stop to this right now, because Josh doesn’t love him. Chris isn’t good enough for him, and so he needs to put an end to this before his heart starts to hurt any more than it already does.

“Josh, can I talk to you?” Chris asks.

Josh, confused, pulls away from his conversation with Hannah. “Sure, can it wait a sec?”

“Uh, I don’t think so.”

“Okay. Let’s go out into the hall.”

Josh gets up, gesturing for Chris to follow him. Once they get outside, he turns to Chris.

“So, what is it-“

“We need to put a stop to this.”

“To what?”

“Whatever this,” Chris waves at them both. “Is.”

“Okay,” Josh says, and Chris notes that he sounds hurt. “Why?”

“It’s just unfair on everyone else. Plus, we don’t like each other like that, so…” he trails off.

“Is the thought of being with me really that repulsive to you?”

“What?” Chris’ head snaps up. “Josh, that’s not what I said at all!”

“It’s what you think, though.” Josh has started to recoil, to walk backwards, and Chris sees his eyes start to well up.

“No, it’s not-“

“Save it, Chris. I’m going to our room. You go and enjoy the rest of the party.”

With that, Josh walks away.

* * *

 

A few hours later, Chris finds himself watching everyone on the dance floor, fully intent on getting very, very drunk. Jess and Mike are dancing together, too wrapped up in each other to notice anyone else. Sam and Hannah are laughing and dancing together in another corner, Hannah pressing kisses to Sam’s lips whenever she thinks nobody is watching. Matt, Emily and Ashley are over by the speakers, arguing over the music, but smiling as they do so. Everyone is happy, it seems, and yet Chris can’t help but feel like he’s lost something.

“Hey, jacket guy.” Beth comes over to sit next to him. “Where’s my brother?”

“In our room, I think.”

“Lovers tiff?” she questions.

“Something like that,” he sighs, putting his head in his hands. “I’ve fucked up, Beth.”

“What happened?”

“Well first off, we weren’t actually dating. He just wanted you guys to get off his case and I agreed to be his date to the wedding. But then I realised I had actual feelings for him, and I may have freaked out because Josh just doesn’t like me like that-”

“Are you joking?” Beth laughs. “Chris, he loves you. Anyone with eyes can see that.”

“I don’t think he does, Beth,” Chris sighs. “But I appreciate the sentiment. Anyway, I told him we had to stop things.”

“And he got upset?”

“Yeah. God knows why, I’m nothing special.”

Beth scoffs. “God, Chris, your head is so far up your own ass you are so blind to what is right in front of you.”

Chris blinks. “What?”

“Okay,” Beth sighs. “I’m gonna walk you through this. What happened when you told Josh you couldn’t carry on with your fake dating bullshit?”

“He got upset.”

“And why did he get upset, Chris?”

“Because-oh. Oh.” Chris gets up. “I have to find him.”

“Fucking yes you do.” Beth takes his beer out his hands. “Now go. And don’t come back until you’ve boned my brother and you’re both happy, okay?”

Chris nods, and jogs out the door.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna kill him one day,” Beth rolls her eyes, walking over to the bar. “I need a drink.”

* * *

 

Chris doesn’t even bother knocking, just barges straight into the room he’s sharing with Josh, slamming the door behind him.

“Fucking hell, Chris.” Josh says as he sits bolt upright on the double bed. “Way to scare a guy.”

“You got upset,” Chris says, out of breath.

“What?” Josh raises his eyebrows. “Did you fucking sprint up here?”

“Maybe. You got upset when I told you we couldn’t carry on.”

“Yeah, I did, 'cause it was rude.”

“No, you got upset 'cause you like me.” Chris stands up straight, smugly, and looks Josh in the eyes. The latter looks like a deer in the headlights.

“S-so what if I do?” he looks down.

“Then I’d kiss you right now.”

“What?” Josh looks at him. “You better not be playing a prank on me.”

“I’m not. I told you we had to stop things because I felt myself falling in love with you, and so-”

With that, Josh surges up and almost leaps on Chris, knocking him against the closed room door, pulling him into a kiss.

Chris doesn’t hesitate, tangling his hands into Josh’s hair, pulling him even closer. They stay like that for several minutes, only pulling away when they need to.

“I thought you didn’t like me. That’s why I did it,” Chris breathes.

“You were right.”

“What?” Chris makes to push Josh away, but Josh smiles.

“I don’t like you. I fucking love you, Christopher. I love you.”

Chris laughs, pulling Josh back in for another kiss, two, three, before grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door.

“Come on,” he says. “We should get back to the wedding. And for the record, I love you too, Joshua Washington.”

Josh looks at him in that second, and Chris feels his legs go weak and his heart rate quicken.

“Actually, we could just stay here,” Chris says, pulling Josh back inside, and shutting the door again.

“Good plan,” Josh smirks.

* * *

 

The next day, Beth whispers ‘called it’ at breakfast when she sees Josh and Chris walk in hand in hand, and everyone else is none the wiser when Josh pulls Chris into a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> come say hey on tumblr! 
> 
> http://hanschhen.tumblr.com/


End file.
